Stand Up To Cancer: Whitney's Story

By Nicole Holt&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Wed 10:01 AM, Sep 03, 2008

This week the major networks are making history with an effort called “Stand up to Cancer.” We’ve been telling you about it, and KXII is proud to be apart of the history-making event. This topic really hits close to home for our CBS family. One of our former reporters, Whitney Wyatt-Kovar, is struggling with brain cancer.

"I hate the word cancer. I hate what it represents, I hate that it tears your life apart. If anyone would have told me a year go that I would be sitting here talking about my battle with brain cancer, I would probably have laughed because at 26-27 years old, that’s the last thing you think about!”

Whitney Wyatt-Kovar had just celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary with another former KXII reporter, Seth Kovar. They recently had moved to Waco, Texas, where Whitney worked for a public relations firm.

"It all started on October 21st. I woke up in the middle of the night and my right eye was twitchy, and I couldn't get it to stop. My entire left side would go numb, and my right foot was numb. Seth took me to the emergency room and within two hours the doctors told me I had a baseball-sized tumor in my brain.”

When we asked if she was scared, Whitney replied, “Not really. It didn’t seem real, but at the same time, I wasn't scared. It's hard to explain to people. I remember looking at Seth, there was this tear going down his cheek. He was on the phone with my mom. I can hear her crying through the phone. I just new I would be okay. I tried to explain to them I was going to be okay, but they were freaking out. I believe this was my cause in life. God put this in my life for a reason. I never thought I was going to die. I mean I knew it would be hard. I just thought this is a great way for God to use me to tell my story to others."

Whitney says her treatment wasn’t easy.

“Treatment was rough! When I explain it, I don't do it justice. You are exhausted. I did seven days of chemo and five days of radiation. It wares you out. I mean getting out of bed and moving to the couch, that was like running a mile."

So how does she deal with cancer? “I talk to cancer. After I’m done praying, I talk to cancer. Sometimes I whisper if I don't have a lot of energy. Sometimes if I’m mad I’ll yell at cancer! It's not going to win today, I’m going to get up and I’m going to have a good day. I don't necessarily win, cancer doesn't necessarily win. I make sure I have a couple of good hours though.”

“If there is one thing I've said the most over the last ten months it's I want my life back. Slowly I’m getting my life back. I’m beating cancer. It's so good, I feel bad though because I know there are others who are still in that fight."

Whitney’s type of brain cancer is rare for her age. In fact, according to her doctors, the average age for diagnosis is 40-50 years old.

Whitney’s cancer is treatable, but incurable. She must take chemo and radiation for the rest of her life to survive. As you can see though, Whitney is a fighter, and that’s exactly what she’s doing, Fighting the Good Fight.

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